Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War (19 July 1870-10 May 1871) occurred when the North German Federation invaded France to unify the German-speaking region of Alsace-Lorraine with the 22-state federation; the war was caused by the forged Ems Dispatch, which insulted the French ambassador to Prussia. The war was a perfect example of nationalism-provoked warfare in the 19th century, with the Germans seeking to conquer a German-speaking region from France, while France declared war on Prussia due to an insulting telegram. The armies of the North German Federation mobilized quickly and seized much of northeastern France with ease, using modern railroads and Krupp artillery against the French Army. Crippling defeats at Metz and Sedan led to the downfall of the Second French Empire, with the French Third Republic being declared to replace Napoleon III of France's regime. For five months, the new republic was besieged in Paris and repeatedly defeated in northern France; in January 1871, Paris fell, and Wilhelm of Prussia was crowned "Emperor of Germany" in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. On 10 May 1871, peace was made between France and Germany, with the Germans gaining Alsace-Lorraine as a province of the new German Empire. The balance of power in Europe was upset, and France would forge closer ties with the United Kingdom to fight back against the growing power of Germany.